Steve Howe’s Anthology 2 album includes a “backing track version” of “Dangerous (Look In the Light of What You’re Searching For,” where Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe – including Rick Wakeman on all keyboards, Bill Bruford on drums and Tony Levin on bass – offers an interesting contrast to the version of this Jon Anderson/Jonathan Elias song from Yes’ 1991 album Union.
In the liner notes, Howe says these previously unreleased song parts “demonstrate what you didn’t hear on the Union album. Copied after I’d finished recording, these parts never made the mix. Much like the five evenings I recorded harmony vocals which evolved into the last three seconds on the album where I sing “Give & Take,” one could argue I wasn’t properly represented here previously.”
He’s right: The Union version of “Dangerous” actually contains none of Howe’s guitar playing. Jimmy Haun gets a special album credit as the “featured” guitarist. (In fact, Haun – not Howe – plays a majority of the Anderson Bruford Wakeman Howe guitar parts on Union.) That said, Haun’s approach is rocky, yet tasteful and perfectly suited to the song.
In contrast, the wash of keyboard textures and synth swirls which replaced Wakeman’s original contributions overwhelm the melody. Not helping matters is a background chorus which drowns out Yes stalwart Chris Squire’s vocal contributions. The computer-enhanced drums of Bill Bruford are also in stark contrast to the drumming on Steve Howe’s backing track. It seems as if the vocals and drum enhancements were added to give “Dangerous” a more contemporary feel. Both now seem out of step with what you would expect from the world’s greatest progressive rock band.
Have you heard Howe’s backing-track demo? How do you think it compares to Yes’ officially released version of “Dangerous (Look In the Light of What You’re Searching For)”?
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